I and my hubs have been taking shilajit for months, myself almost a year. We buy a purified version from Prima Vie and open the capsule into our coffee, 250 MG once daily. No negative effects, of course. It is fantastic for maintenance of health. We are both 'boomers' and have been captive to the medical slavery of this country most of our lives, although no multitudes of vaccines in our first years of life! We resisted Covid and it's poisonous vax big time and I understood so much from reading about health, mostly prevention oriented. Your Substack is prized - thank you!!
In researching shilajit, I encountered such resistance. "It could have heavy metals!" was the most common. I'm thinking, "right, we NEVER encounter THAT in American products."🙄 The ONE thing I learned that is a nugget I'll never let go of is that WE NEED MINERALS. We are made from the same minerals as earth and sea. Technology has depleted these in our bodies, our earth, our food, our water. I highly recommend Shilijat for maintenance. The brain works better, faster, and clearer. The bones! The teeth! We are surrounded by folks on allopathic meds who are our age but seem like bidenized zombies who have one problem after another. Not us!!
I thank you for this article I can share. Thank you, thank you, and may God richly bless you and your work.
Have been using Shilajit for many years. At 61 years old, I can drop and give you 50 pushups without struggle and I never go to the gym. I work 12-14 hours a day in an extreme stress job as president of our company, yet my energy levels are vey high. I have not had so much as a flu or severe cold in more than 10 years.
Not kidding or boasting, though can tell you from my experience, everything said in this article is validated and my naturopathic doctor I go to, performs an extensive blood and hair analysis panel every six months. He says my health is that of a man in his 30's.
I have recommended only two brands to clients/family: Dr. Kaufman’s and one from Lotus Blooming Herbs. Since the dose of the tar-like substance is so small, the iodine content is also low, usually less than 1 mcg but can vary. A typical iodine daily dose to support thyroid function is 150 mcg. It is not people with Hashimoto’s that need to be as concerned as those with Graves’ Disease- people with hypothyroidism tend to need more iodine whereas those with hyperthyroidism need less. Be careful of many counterfeit shilajit products.
Thanks for another great article. I heard about Shilajit a few years back, got some but haven't got into it yet, being already busy with a bunch of Chinese herbal formulas I'm using to recover health and vitality from long-term chronic illness.
Wokepedia has an article with a bunch of information about it, which led to a page at Wiktionary that says Shilajit is the name in Hindi, derived from the original Sanskrit शिलाजतु (śilājatu), from शिला (śilā, “stone, rock”) + जतु (jatu, “lac, gum, resin, rubber”). Some others say the "jit" part is from a word meaning "victory" or "conquest". And I've seen it written as शिलाजीत् (shilajeet) and शिलाजित् (shilajit). Chinese names include a phonetic transcription: Xǐ lái zhī (喜來芝), 石油 (shíyóu), "rock grease", and 阿魏酸 (āwèisuān), "ferulic acid", referring to its medicinal properties. In Tibetan it's བྲག་ཞུན་ (drak zhün), "rock grease".
Comfrey, Sympytum, old English name, knitbone has also been used since Ancient Greek times. It is a great mender of bones too. It has been ignored, rubbished, supressed and had health warnings stuck to it even though they have no alternative to make money out of🤷♂️.
Homeopathic symphytum repaired my broken foot in 4 weeks when I was in my 60's, verified by x-ray.
I take a resin encapsulated shilajit (500 mg) by Simplimins. I have had an astounding reaction to it. I have suffered with gut issues and malabsorption for over 30 years (I'm almost 78 now), plus fatigue, hair loss, osteoporosis and knee pain. I have been taking UC-ll for a few months. When I added Shilajit 6 weeks ago, at first I wasn't sure it was the new supplement, but I'm a believer now.
The first thing I noticed was brain fog was gone, my energy level was up, I was happier, and on day 3, my knee pain wasn't as noticeable. When I showered, my hair wasn't collecting in my drain catcher nearly as bad and I'm only losing a few hairs now when I wash it compared to a lot. I think my body has been so deprived of minerals, even though I take Aussie Trace Minerals and other mineral supplements, that it has had a pretty profound effect for me. My knees keep getting better and life is more enjoyable. I don't know if Simplimins is a good brand, but this has helped me so much.
Excellent stuff! I take it twice a day every day no exceptions. my wife and two small children also take it. Aristotle took it and wrote about it and apparently his best student, Alexander the great also took it and gave it to his men. And of course they conquered the known world they say there’s about a dozen or so things in life that you never wanna skimp on. Parachutes, diving regulators, etc. I would add Shilajit to this list. Most cheap versions of Shilajit are contaminated with things like fertilizer and other toxins. if one can’t afford this stuff, because it’s expensive, I would say bee pollen is a worthy substitute as it contains almost the same nutrients
I buy & use Patanjali brand Shilijit, they are a well known Ayurvedic medicine manufacturer & distributer. I only pay $20 CAN for 50 grams, although I have seen Shilijit sold for $100 per 40 gram container. Don't pay a fortune, it will not improve your Shilijit just empty your bank account.
or search. It's available from health food stores too. The price is good, for us. We take other supps in our stack too. This is for the many minerals missing from our diet.
If a substance heals, strengthens the body, costs a few dollars, and can’t be patented… it quietly disappears from the conversation.
Shilajit has thousands of documented clinical cases across multiple countries and decades of research, yet most people in the West have never even heard of it.
Why?
Because modern medicine is structured around molecules that can be owned, patented, and sold — not complex natural substances that support the body’s terrain.
The mountain gives the medicine.
The market decides whether anyone is allowed to hear about it.
You might remember that environmental aluminum is very different than the purified aluminum that is in vaccines. Aluminum in it's natural state is harmless to humans, we are the ones who make it poisonous by refining it.
Raw bauxite primarily consists of aluminum oxide and other minerals like iron oxide, titanium oxide, and silica. While aluminum oxide itself is not toxic, inhaled bauxite dust can cause physical damage to the lungs and respiratory system, leading to coughing, chest pain, and long-term conditions like silicosis or chronic bronchitis.
Exposure to bauxite dust has been linked to neurological issues such as forgetfulness, anxiety, and may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, though evidence is not conclusive.
The real danger comes from processing: The refining of bauxite into alumina via the Bayer process produces red mud (bauxite refinery residue), a highly alkaline, toxic byproduct with a pH around 12.5 (similar to household bleach). This residue contains residual sodium hydroxide, heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium), and trace radioactive elements (uranium, thorium, radium), making it hazardous if ingested or inhaled.
I don't think that is a real issue with Shilijit. Years ago some Ayurvedic supplements in the USA were tested & found to have high heavy metals & ever since then that blanket warning goes out and tarnishes all Indian herbs. Don't fall for it.
Hmmm...not like any of the amounts found in pharma drugs or gadolinium, or all those batteries running your tech. No,this stuff is good and safe. You don't take a lot. Try reading more research and understand that manipulation is Pharma and Cartel Med MO, always.
Can you recommend a lab assay on Shilajit that confirms heavy metals content? Surely the purity of shilajit would also depend on the region of harvest. Seems like your research is lacking. I don't eat batteries or Pharma products, but neither do I eat rock juice as many rocks contain heavy metals.
Perhaps the main action of shilijat is through its fulvic acid.
Fulvic acid has a broad-spectrum of actions. It addresses terrain, absorption, barrier integrity, and cellular function simultaneously. The problem is that it may address a few things, while you want only one.
So, understanding the mechanism of action is essential.
E.g. it will improve absorption of the iron. However, there are quite a few people in the UK (or in the US, often of European origin) who have haemochromatosis. The estimation is 1.3 million, with 20K as diagnosed, only. Many people don't know.
This hereditary condition means the body stores too much iron.
And no, iron is not great when not needed. The body cannot dispose of it easily if you are not a menstruating woman. Too much iron leads to inflammation and low immunity.
The body regulates its iron absorption tightly.
Too much iron will present with the same clinical picture as too little (anaemia). Brain fog, Fatigue. Tirendess. No energy. Weakness.
So, if you are taking shiljat (and any supplement containing iron, for that matter, or just eating the cereals in the UK), while you don't want more iron, it is a bad idea.
If you are anaemic, then this may be useful.
And then we can go about other actions, e.g. raising testosterone and DHEA, which should not be stimulated for women with PCOS.
Or improving iodine uptake, selenium or zinc. Sounds great if you need them, but may be harmful if you don't.
So, as with any broad action, it is worth understanding what we aim for and when things go off.
This is why I don't use it. I prefer dedicated approaches for dedicated problems.
I am not sure purity is guaranteed, and for myself, exactly because it contains iron too - I don't take it and will not take it.
I took another look & it is just too expensive for me. It's $93.33 USD for 30 grams! I would think it is very good & it has added gold but unless I come into a sizable sum of money soon I don't think I'll buy it. Too bad it costs so much because it really does look tempting.
The body is so reliant given the right circumstances. I have many cases of bone fractures quickly healing completely with homeopathy, pain disappearing almost instantly.
We have all we need in Nature.
So much of our ailments stem from a poor diet plus toxicity.
I haven't seen anything in this article about arsenic (rice) and mercury (fillings and vaccines). Although much of the chem trails have stopped, the after effects are still with us. Wouldn't it be great if shiljat was a go-to remedy for intentional poisoning? Instead of hundreds of dollars each month, with several more every three months sleeping by the toilet for repeated detoxes.
Supplement companies say detox, detox, detox, to every problem and sell protocols, which do work at hundreds of dollars per pop. Is it any wonder those on the lower end of the socioeconomic classes all have chronic diseases and lowered life spans? They can't afford these repeated cycles of detoxes and are forced into big pharma oil drugs because government, due to bribed officials, pays for it. It would be nice if these people can use just 1-2 things each month, with shiljat being one of them. This may wean them off government health care with better outcomes.
I’m in NY and every time the sun is out the chemtrails are directly over my house. Then like clock work it will rain two days later. They certainly haven’t stopped here.
Interesting article. An Indian food store just down the street from me sells good quality Shilijit for $20 CAN for 50 grams of a 3:1 concentrate (approx 150 grams of Shilijit) and the stuff works well. Ayurvedic medicine recommends up to 11 grams daily for stubborn health conditions that do not respond to treatment. Shilijit is considered to increase the strength of other medicines used w/ it. Anyways, don't pay a fortune for the stuff, it is available for a reasonable price if you look around & don't worry about using too much, just go for it & I think you'll be pleased.
I wonder if the strontium in Shilajit is the same as the strontium in geo-engineering otherwise known as chemtrails. Strontium in geo-engineering is harmful, not beneficial.
I and my hubs have been taking shilajit for months, myself almost a year. We buy a purified version from Prima Vie and open the capsule into our coffee, 250 MG once daily. No negative effects, of course. It is fantastic for maintenance of health. We are both 'boomers' and have been captive to the medical slavery of this country most of our lives, although no multitudes of vaccines in our first years of life! We resisted Covid and it's poisonous vax big time and I understood so much from reading about health, mostly prevention oriented. Your Substack is prized - thank you!!
In researching shilajit, I encountered such resistance. "It could have heavy metals!" was the most common. I'm thinking, "right, we NEVER encounter THAT in American products."🙄 The ONE thing I learned that is a nugget I'll never let go of is that WE NEED MINERALS. We are made from the same minerals as earth and sea. Technology has depleted these in our bodies, our earth, our food, our water. I highly recommend Shilijat for maintenance. The brain works better, faster, and clearer. The bones! The teeth! We are surrounded by folks on allopathic meds who are our age but seem like bidenized zombies who have one problem after another. Not us!!
I thank you for this article I can share. Thank you, thank you, and may God richly bless you and your work.
Thank you for sharing your own experience and research and knowledge.
Have been using Shilajit for many years. At 61 years old, I can drop and give you 50 pushups without struggle and I never go to the gym. I work 12-14 hours a day in an extreme stress job as president of our company, yet my energy levels are vey high. I have not had so much as a flu or severe cold in more than 10 years.
Not kidding or boasting, though can tell you from my experience, everything said in this article is validated and my naturopathic doctor I go to, performs an extensive blood and hair analysis panel every six months. He says my health is that of a man in his 30's.
So there you have it.
How did you determine a reliable and quality source for Shilajit? Price ranges from dirt cheap to very expensive online.
I have recommended only two brands to clients/family: Dr. Kaufman’s and one from Lotus Blooming Herbs. Since the dose of the tar-like substance is so small, the iodine content is also low, usually less than 1 mcg but can vary. A typical iodine daily dose to support thyroid function is 150 mcg. It is not people with Hashimoto’s that need to be as concerned as those with Graves’ Disease- people with hypothyroidism tend to need more iodine whereas those with hyperthyroidism need less. Be careful of many counterfeit shilajit products.
Thanks for another great article. I heard about Shilajit a few years back, got some but haven't got into it yet, being already busy with a bunch of Chinese herbal formulas I'm using to recover health and vitality from long-term chronic illness.
I first heard about it in fact from Dragon Herbs (https://www.dragonherbs.com), where I get my Chinese herbs. I highly recommend their products. Here's their Shilajit, with their usual enthusiasm: https://www.dragonherbs.com/high-mountain-shilajit.html.
Another favorite source for TCM and related tonic herbs is Lost Empire; their Shilajit: https://lostempireherbs.com/product/shilajit.
An excellent article exploring Shilajit from the perspectives of Chinese (TCM), Indian (Ayurveda), Tibetan and other tradtional medicines: "Understanding Shilajit: Mineral Medicine of the Mountains" (https://www.rawforestfoods.com/blog/understanding-shilajit-mineral-medicine-of-the-mountains).
Wokepedia has an article with a bunch of information about it, which led to a page at Wiktionary that says Shilajit is the name in Hindi, derived from the original Sanskrit शिलाजतु (śilājatu), from शिला (śilā, “stone, rock”) + जतु (jatu, “lac, gum, resin, rubber”). Some others say the "jit" part is from a word meaning "victory" or "conquest". And I've seen it written as शिलाजीत् (shilajeet) and शिलाजित् (shilajit). Chinese names include a phonetic transcription: Xǐ lái zhī (喜來芝), 石油 (shíyóu), "rock grease", and 阿魏酸 (āwèisuān), "ferulic acid", referring to its medicinal properties. In Tibetan it's བྲག་ཞུན་ (drak zhün), "rock grease".
I couldn't get your link to dragon herbs to work.
Hi Marie. I just tried all the links; they work for me. Try a different browser? I'm in Brave, macOS.
Thanks for your very quick reply, Phil.
Comfrey, Sympytum, old English name, knitbone has also been used since Ancient Greek times. It is a great mender of bones too. It has been ignored, rubbished, supressed and had health warnings stuck to it even though they have no alternative to make money out of🤷♂️.
Homeopathic symphytum repaired my broken foot in 4 weeks when I was in my 60's, verified by x-ray.
I take a resin encapsulated shilajit (500 mg) by Simplimins. I have had an astounding reaction to it. I have suffered with gut issues and malabsorption for over 30 years (I'm almost 78 now), plus fatigue, hair loss, osteoporosis and knee pain. I have been taking UC-ll for a few months. When I added Shilajit 6 weeks ago, at first I wasn't sure it was the new supplement, but I'm a believer now.
The first thing I noticed was brain fog was gone, my energy level was up, I was happier, and on day 3, my knee pain wasn't as noticeable. When I showered, my hair wasn't collecting in my drain catcher nearly as bad and I'm only losing a few hairs now when I wash it compared to a lot. I think my body has been so deprived of minerals, even though I take Aussie Trace Minerals and other mineral supplements, that it has had a pretty profound effect for me. My knees keep getting better and life is more enjoyable. I don't know if Simplimins is a good brand, but this has helped me so much.
Excellent stuff! I take it twice a day every day no exceptions. my wife and two small children also take it. Aristotle took it and wrote about it and apparently his best student, Alexander the great also took it and gave it to his men. And of course they conquered the known world they say there’s about a dozen or so things in life that you never wanna skimp on. Parachutes, diving regulators, etc. I would add Shilajit to this list. Most cheap versions of Shilajit are contaminated with things like fertilizer and other toxins. if one can’t afford this stuff, because it’s expensive, I would say bee pollen is a worthy substitute as it contains almost the same nutrients
He was also allegedly poisoned. I wonder how good his shiljat was.
😳
What brand do you take?
Nutroonic . Dr. Andrew Kaufman also sells a good one.
Nutrotonic
Thank you.
You’re welcome, and like Aristotle said, wash it down with some raw milk👍
First time I ever heard about Alexander The Great taking Shilijit. Thanks for the info.
Aristotle called it, “the destroyer of weakness”
Best source to purchase?
I buy & use Patanjali brand Shilijit, they are a well known Ayurvedic medicine manufacturer & distributer. I only pay $20 CAN for 50 grams, although I have seen Shilijit sold for $100 per 40 gram container. Don't pay a fortune, it will not improve your Shilijit just empty your bank account.
I purchase PrimaVie from Amazon but the company also sells direct.
https://nootropicsdepot.com/
or search. It's available from health food stores too. The price is good, for us. We take other supps in our stack too. This is for the many minerals missing from our diet.
Interesting piece. The pattern is familiar.
If a substance heals, strengthens the body, costs a few dollars, and can’t be patented… it quietly disappears from the conversation.
Shilajit has thousands of documented clinical cases across multiple countries and decades of research, yet most people in the West have never even heard of it.
Why?
Because modern medicine is structured around molecules that can be owned, patented, and sold — not complex natural substances that support the body’s terrain.
The mountain gives the medicine.
The market decides whether anyone is allowed to hear about it.
Worth reading.
— Lone Wolf
I would like to see an assay showing levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead, nickel, aluminium in shilajit
You might remember that environmental aluminum is very different than the purified aluminum that is in vaccines. Aluminum in it's natural state is harmless to humans, we are the ones who make it poisonous by refining it.
Aluminium is manufactured from Bauxite, so I'm not sure what is 'environmental Aluminium' so can you elaborate on that?
Aluminum is never found in nature as a stand alone molecule, it is always bound to another element.
Raw bauxite primarily consists of aluminum oxide and other minerals like iron oxide, titanium oxide, and silica. While aluminum oxide itself is not toxic, inhaled bauxite dust can cause physical damage to the lungs and respiratory system, leading to coughing, chest pain, and long-term conditions like silicosis or chronic bronchitis.
Exposure to bauxite dust has been linked to neurological issues such as forgetfulness, anxiety, and may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, though evidence is not conclusive.
The real danger comes from processing: The refining of bauxite into alumina via the Bayer process produces red mud (bauxite refinery residue), a highly alkaline, toxic byproduct with a pH around 12.5 (similar to household bleach). This residue contains residual sodium hydroxide, heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium), and trace radioactive elements (uranium, thorium, radium), making it hazardous if ingested or inhaled.
I don't think that is a real issue with Shilijit. Years ago some Ayurvedic supplements in the USA were tested & found to have high heavy metals & ever since then that blanket warning goes out and tarnishes all Indian herbs. Don't fall for it.
Hmmm...not like any of the amounts found in pharma drugs or gadolinium, or all those batteries running your tech. No,this stuff is good and safe. You don't take a lot. Try reading more research and understand that manipulation is Pharma and Cartel Med MO, always.
Can you recommend a lab assay on Shilajit that confirms heavy metals content? Surely the purity of shilajit would also depend on the region of harvest. Seems like your research is lacking. I don't eat batteries or Pharma products, but neither do I eat rock juice as many rocks contain heavy metals.
Find a product you like and see if it has been tested and meets your needs. Most have research articles listed on their websites. Happy hunting.
Perhaps the main action of shilijat is through its fulvic acid.
Fulvic acid has a broad-spectrum of actions. It addresses terrain, absorption, barrier integrity, and cellular function simultaneously. The problem is that it may address a few things, while you want only one.
So, understanding the mechanism of action is essential.
E.g. it will improve absorption of the iron. However, there are quite a few people in the UK (or in the US, often of European origin) who have haemochromatosis. The estimation is 1.3 million, with 20K as diagnosed, only. Many people don't know.
This hereditary condition means the body stores too much iron.
And no, iron is not great when not needed. The body cannot dispose of it easily if you are not a menstruating woman. Too much iron leads to inflammation and low immunity.
The body regulates its iron absorption tightly.
Too much iron will present with the same clinical picture as too little (anaemia). Brain fog, Fatigue. Tirendess. No energy. Weakness.
So, if you are taking shiljat (and any supplement containing iron, for that matter, or just eating the cereals in the UK), while you don't want more iron, it is a bad idea.
If you are anaemic, then this may be useful.
And then we can go about other actions, e.g. raising testosterone and DHEA, which should not be stimulated for women with PCOS.
Or improving iodine uptake, selenium or zinc. Sounds great if you need them, but may be harmful if you don't.
So, as with any broad action, it is worth understanding what we aim for and when things go off.
This is why I don't use it. I prefer dedicated approaches for dedicated problems.
I am not sure purity is guaranteed, and for myself, exactly because it contains iron too - I don't take it and will not take it.
I use PureBlack shilajit. https://purblack.com/pages/shilajit-comparison
Wow! That Shilijit looks great. I want some, thanks for the link.
you’re welcome. I’ve tried others, but this one is the best I’ve tried and it’s less expensive than some of the others I tried.
I took another look & it is just too expensive for me. It's $93.33 USD for 30 grams! I would think it is very good & it has added gold but unless I come into a sizable sum of money soon I don't think I'll buy it. Too bad it costs so much because it really does look tempting.
The body is so reliant given the right circumstances. I have many cases of bone fractures quickly healing completely with homeopathy, pain disappearing almost instantly.
We have all we need in Nature.
So much of our ailments stem from a poor diet plus toxicity.
Thank you, your references are appreciated. Shilajit, may be a pain relief option for my dysplastic pup.
I haven't seen anything in this article about arsenic (rice) and mercury (fillings and vaccines). Although much of the chem trails have stopped, the after effects are still with us. Wouldn't it be great if shiljat was a go-to remedy for intentional poisoning? Instead of hundreds of dollars each month, with several more every three months sleeping by the toilet for repeated detoxes.
Supplement companies say detox, detox, detox, to every problem and sell protocols, which do work at hundreds of dollars per pop. Is it any wonder those on the lower end of the socioeconomic classes all have chronic diseases and lowered life spans? They can't afford these repeated cycles of detoxes and are forced into big pharma oil drugs because government, due to bribed officials, pays for it. It would be nice if these people can use just 1-2 things each month, with shiljat being one of them. This may wean them off government health care with better outcomes.
Yeah, I haven’t noticed chemtrails stopping either!
Me either, in fact worse than ever.
We have chem trails nearly every day. Where have they stopped? ✌🏻
I’m in NY and every time the sun is out the chemtrails are directly over my house. Then like clock work it will rain two days later. They certainly haven’t stopped here.
Interesting article. An Indian food store just down the street from me sells good quality Shilijit for $20 CAN for 50 grams of a 3:1 concentrate (approx 150 grams of Shilijit) and the stuff works well. Ayurvedic medicine recommends up to 11 grams daily for stubborn health conditions that do not respond to treatment. Shilijit is considered to increase the strength of other medicines used w/ it. Anyways, don't pay a fortune for the stuff, it is available for a reasonable price if you look around & don't worry about using too much, just go for it & I think you'll be pleased.
I wonder if the strontium in Shilajit is the same as the strontium in geo-engineering otherwise known as chemtrails. Strontium in geo-engineering is harmful, not beneficial.